H3264. yaor

I. יַ֫עַר‎ noun masculine^{2 Samuel 18:8} wood, forest, thicket (MI²¹ plural היערן‎ (= proper name, of a location ?); Phoenician יער‎ and יר‎, compare DHM in MV (10) 983; Aramaic יַעֲרָא‎, wood, thicket; Assyrian âru Dl^{HWB 230}, compare Jäger^{BAS i, 476}) — absolute יעַר ַ֫‎ Isaiah 7:2 +; יָ֑עַר‎ Micah 3:12 +; with ה‎ locative יַעֲרָה‎ Joshua 17:15; construct יעַר ַ֫‎ 2 Samuel 18:6; יַעְרָהּ‎ Jeremiah 46:23, etc.; plural יְעָרִים‎ Ezra 2:25 4t. (including Ezekiel 34:25 Qr, so Co); יְעָרוֺת‎ Psalm 29:9; —

a. wood, forest, wooded height, with trees to be felled Joshua 17:15 (with עלה‎ go up to), 17:18 (J), Deuteronomy 19:5 (not elsewhere Hexateuch); כְּרָתוֺ מִיַּעַר עֵץ‎ Jeremiah 10:13 as wood out of a forest he hath cut it; מןהֿיערים יחטבו‎ Ezekiel 39:10 (מןהֿשׂדה עצים‎ in "" clause); as producing trees עֵצִים צוֺמֵחַ יער‎ Ecclesiastes 2:6; in designation of Solomon's palace הַלְּבָנוֺן יַעַר בֵּית‎ 1 Kings 7:2 (on structure of this house see Sta^{Salomos Bauten, ZAW 1883, 150}), 10:17, 21 2 Chronicles 9:16, 20; compare הַיָּ֫עַר בֵּית‎ Isaiah 22:8; figurative of foes to be cut down and destroyed היער סִבְכֵי נִקַּף‎ 10:34; יַעְרָהּ כָּֽרְתוּ‎ Jeremiah 46:23; so Isaiah 32:19 and הַבָּצִו֯ר יער‎ Zechariah 11:2 (read Kt הַבָּצוּר‎ inaccessible forest).

b. as hiding-place for fugitive 1 Samuel 22:5; lurking-place of wild beasts Amos 3:4; Micah 5:7; 2 Kings 2:24; Jeremiah 5:6; 12:8; Isaiah 56:9; Psalm 50:10; 80:14; 104:20, compare Ezekiel 34:25 (read Qr, see above)

c. stripped by voice of ׳י‎ Psalm 29:9; devoured by fire Isaiah 9:17 (הַיּ ׳סִבְכֵי‎; figurative of the people); so in metaphor or simile of ׳י‎s judgements 10:18 (יַעְרוֺ כְּבוֺד‎, figurative of Assyr.), Jeremiah 21:14; Ezekiel 21:2; 21:3 (see below) Psalm 83:15.

d. opposed to כַּרְמֶל‎ (garden-land) Isaiah 29:17; 32:15; but also כַּרְמִלּוֺ יַעַר‎ his garden woodland 2 Kings 19:23 = Isaiah 37:24, and כַּרְמֶל בְּתוֺךְ יַעַר‎ Micah 7:14 (secluded and fertile abode for flock, figurative of people, see Che; Hi-St thinks of sacred grove).

e. = thicket, especially as symbol of desolation Hosea 2:14; יער בָּמוֺת‎ thicket-covered heights (overgrown with bushes and trees) Micah 3:12 = Jeremiah 26:18; also בּעֲרַב בַּיַּעַר‎ Isaiah 21:13 in the thicket (or bushes, so VB) in Arabia must ye lodge, caravans of Dedanites.

f. (ה)יער עֲצֵי‎ trees of the forest Isaiah 7:2 (in sim), 10:19 (עֵץ שְׁאָר יַעְרוֺ‎, figurative), 44:14; Ezekiel 15:2, also 15:6 (היער עֵץ‎), Song of Solomon 2:3 (in simile); figurative, as singing before ׳י‎ Psalm 96:12 = 1 Chronicles 16:33; Isaiah 44:23 (בּוֺ וְכָלעֵֿץ יער‎).

g. particular forests are: אפרים יער‎ 2 Samuel 18:6, see אֶפְרַיִם‎ above; compare 18:18; 18:17 (see also Joshua 17:15, 18); חָ֑רֶת יַעַר‎ 1 Samuel 22:5 (see above); לְבָנוֺן יַעַר‎ (see above); נֶגֶב הַשָּׂדֶה יַעַר‎ and הַנָּגֶב יַעַר‎ Ezekiel 21:2; 21:3 (see above) figurative of Judah (land and people); see also יְעָרִים‎ below — יעַר שְׂדֵיָֿ֑‎ Psalm 132:6 is a proper name, of a location (but Bae thinks appellative 'auf waldigem Gefilcle'), see יְעָרִים קִרְיַת‎. On 1 Samuel 14:25-26, see II. יער‎. — יעורים‎ Ezekiel 34:25 Kt, read יְעָרִים‎ Qr, see above

II. יער‎ ( √ of following; meaning dubious; MV identification with I, from roughness and porousness (?) of honeycomb, compare Buhl.